Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-25


from them, and who, when they
left the army, had lapsed into their old
condition. No true. brave soldier need
ever go TO the pOorh0use. The men who
went there were natives. Thev had no
self-respect and no character. They laid
down and opened their mouths for teat
to suck.
Mr.. Steele, of Indiana, interjected a re-
mark.
MIR. Bragg said that he knew that the
gentleman who had just interrupted him,
ii ne dared vote his conviction, would
vote as he ONT. Bragg did. He knew
gentlemen who had committed themselves
day after day in opposition TO the princi-
PIE OF the Dill and were grateful for the
veto. Cries Of "Who are theyY'l
SCENE OF CONFUSION.
81 know what am talking about. l
have heard them" Repeated cries OF
Name tnem," "Name your man." "You
can't do it," and much noise and coniu-
sion.1
''rne Republican Congressmen, all of
them," was Mr.. Bragg's reply, which
was greeted with mingled applause,
laughter and jeers.
The spectators, who filed the galleries
to their utmost capacity, and who lis
tened eagerly to all that was said on the
OF disapproval and approval, and though
without adding to the noise and coniu-
sion sufficiently to justify the Speaker in
ordering the clearing of the galleries,
gave vent to their feelings until the close
OF the debate by frequent applause.
Mr. Bragg declared that the press of
the country was opposed to the bill.
Those gentlemen who sat up aloft--point-
ing to the press gallery-mights some time
or other turn this big pension boom into
much larger boomerang in some gentle
mems districts. IApplause.l
"We have Jared as we'll In our district
as the gentleman has in his" exclaimed
Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa, and this allu-
sion to Mr.. Bragg's failure to secure q re-
nomination was greeted with loud and
continued laughter on the Republican
side.
Mr.. Bragg repeaIed that the press was
opposed to the bill. The great Republi-
can paper of his State stood by the Presi-
dent. The great Republican papers of
Ohio sustained the President. The great
Republican paper OF Pennsylvania stood
side by side with the President. The pa
pers oil New York, almost without dis
JUNCTION or party, stood by the President.
MAINE IN LINE.
That gallant soldier, the Governor of
Maine, Gen. ChamberlIn, stood by the
President"
"Yes," cried Mr.. Boutelle, land he
stands alone in Maine. Applause on the
Republican side. l speak for Maine.
[Jeers on the Democratic side, and cries
of ''Sorry for Maine."
Mr.. Bragg, continuing, said: "The great
soldier, Gen. Palmer, of Illinois, stood by
the President; Gov. Cox, OF OHIO, stood
by the President; Old Dan Sickles of the
trd
most glorious deed. Brave men of all
parties stood by the President. 1t was
only little minds that went buZzing about
like insects around the lines that op-
posed him."
Mr.. Henderson, of Iowa, (contempt-
uously): "You stand by the President"
Mr.. Bragg-No staff .commlssary can
ever excite me. l am speaking tor what
| consider the soldiers interest. The
largest Grand Army post in my State
yesterday voted not to ask members of
Congress to go against the President. 1t
is only the class Of men who hang around
the Grand Army posts, who crowd them-
selves in to get So week and to live upon
their comrades, who are making this
grand hue and cry. A soldier prefers to
stand by his record, and asks not that
Congress shall mark him as a beggar.
He wants to have it understood that he
is, in private life, as he was in the army, +,
soldier fighting for the maintenance of
the Union, loving his country, and not
asking to be supported by it. Why, look
at the effect. Confederate soldiers with
out nope are toiling day by day and eX-
hiblting thrift, industry and energy
never expected of them, while the North
ern man, independent, self-reliant, indus
triOus, energetic and enterprising.
lags behind into idleness. Why?
because he is waiting for
his stipend TO come from the govern
ment, and when that stipend comes 1t is
spent quickly, and If he comes from the
pOorhOuse he lapses back into that posi-
tion and waits for another stipend. HUI
manity only needs TO be encouraged to do
nothing. We are all liable to drop into q
do-nothing policy If we can get somebody
to support us, and it Is not good public
policy for US to legislate to encourage
vagabOndsm, whether amOngiour soldiers
or citizens.
THE PORK DIVIDED.
Mr.. Steele, OF lndana-How about the
Mexican pension billp
Mr.. Bragg-l have said that l wished
the President had vetoed IL. 1t is inti-
mated that the bill passed because it ben
efits Confederates. | ask any one of you,
bigoted as you NAV be, il you did not get
some OF the pork. You all voted for the
bill, and now you have discovered that
It's a monstrOslty.
Mr.. Morrison, of Illinols--In my term
of service | have voted Tor every pension
bill presented. In this time the pension
roll has drawn from 500 900, 900 to $50. .0O0,-
coo a year. COncurring in the general
purpose OF the pending bill, 30 far as it's
purpose was TO relieve those who have
suffered from services rendered TO the
country, ] voted for this bill. am satisfied
that IL does not contain what its friends
claim for it, and that it IN fairly subject
10 the objections urged against it in the
veto, Besides, the veto is so far above
the high water mark Of ordinary execu-
tive Independence and official manhood,
that feel like sharing aud taking my lit
tie part OF the responsibility. Applause
on the Democratic side.
NOT CLEAR IN ITS WORDING.
The President. he said, did not veto the
bill because IL pensIOned too many or too
few, but because by no reasonable con-
struction could a man tell what IL did
mean. If the gentleman from Indiana
Mr.. Matson) were Secretary of the In
terror this bill would mean one thing: II
the Senator from Colorado Mr. Teller J
were Secretary the bill would mean
something else. So, with one man at the
head of the department, one set of men
would be denied a pension who would be
granted q pension II another man We're at
the head. This was not the kind OF legIs-
latiOn that ought TO be enacted.
Several other members who ad voted
for tho hill auuouncpd their intantion to